Written Answers

Thursday 22 June 2000

Scottish Executive

Aggregates Tax

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of any effect the aggregates tax will have on the capital and revenue budgets for the roads programme for each of the next three years and whether it will detail any amounts involved.

Sarah Boyack: The aggregates tax announced in the budget comes into effect in April 2002. The capital and revenue budgets already announced for the Motorway and Trunk Roads programme until 31 March 2002 are not affected. Budgets for later years will be announced after the Spending Review now underway.

Agriculture

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a cull ewe scheme in the Highlands and Islands.

Ross Finnie: I have no plans to put forward a scheme this year. The clear advice from the European Commission to the proposed cull ewe scheme, which the Scottish Executive put forward last year, was that gaining approval for the scheme would prove very difficult indeed.

Agriculture

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the statement by the Minister for Rural Affairs on 30 March 2000, why Scottish farmers will not have their annual groundwater maintenance charge of £123 waived for the next four years as will be the case in England and Wales.

Sarah Boyack: It is Executive policy that SEPA should move to full cost recovery in its charging regimes. Charges levied under the Groundwater Regulations have therefore been set as low as possible, consistent with recovery by SEPA of the costs of regulation from polluters.

  In Scotland, a considerable amount has already been done to ease the burden of the Groundwater Regulations on the farming community. The annual maintenance charge was waived in the first year of regulation whilst SEPA determined applications. Crofters’ Grazing Committees have been encouraged to make single applications for the disposal of spent sheep dip on behalf of their members. In the majority of cases, this means that individual crofters are paying only a small proportion of the total annual maintenance charge.

Agriculture

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take regarding subsidy payments to farmers due to be paid in spring 2001 if a suitable Less Favoured Area support scheme to replace Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances is not agreed with the European Commission.

Ross Finnie: Further discussions are being arranged with European Commission officials to help devise an area-based scheme which complies with the new Rural Development Regulation. The Scottish Executive’s aim is to have a scheme in place so that payments can be made on the usual timescale next spring.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of its acknowledgement on page 25 of A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture  that the difficulties in re-establishing export markets have held back the recovery in cattle prices, it will give higher priority to regaining lost markets.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-7734.

Children

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its regulations for early education and childcare have the flexibility to permit local areas to meet their differing needs.

Peter Peacock: We intend that in future a new Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will regulate services. The aim is to ensure quality of provision and consistent requirements on providers of similar services across different parts of Scotland. All providers will be required to meet standards appropriate to their service and will, of course, be able to exceed any minimum requirements.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the climate change levy will have a negative effect on the Borders economy because of its impact on agriculture, textiles and electronics.

Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure the climate change levy is a reserved matter. Taking the levy package as a whole, the UK Government expects the manufacturing sector to recover in reductions in National Insurance contributions, tax allowances and additional support for energy efficiency measures broadly as much as it will pay in climate change levy.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the effect of the climate change levy on businesses, in particular small- to medium-sized enterprises in rural areas, will be neutral.

Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure the climate change levy is a reserved matter. Taking the levy package as a whole, the UK Government expects the manufacturing and services sectors to recover in reductions in National Insurance contributions, tax allowances and additional support for energy efficiency measures broadly as much as they will pay in climate change levy. Very small businesses will pay no levy at all because they will be regarded as domestic energy consumers.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government pressing for an exemption for the hydro-electric industry in Scotland in relation to the climate change levy in line with other renewable forms of power like wind-power.

Henry McLeish: Businesses will be able to claim exemption from climate change levy in respect of consumption of electricity from qualifying renewable sources. There have been discussions with Her Majesty’s Government about a range of issues including the treatment of electricity from large hydro electricity stations (those rated at more than 10MW) and these are continuing.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed climate change levy will affect tomato growers in the Clyde Valley and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government pressing for affected growers to receive 100% relief from this tax in line with their main European competitors in the Netherlands.

Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure the climate change levy is a reserved matter. The UK Government is not able to say with precision what the effects of the levy on individual sectors will be since this will depend on many factors, including take-up of incentives to improve energy efficiency. The Government intends to offer a temporary 50% discount to the horticulture industry as well as include thermal screens, which are used in glasshouses, in the list of technologies eligible for enhanced capital allowances.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government asking why the climate change levy is being imposed on businesses in regions such as the south of Scotland, given the lack of any emissions problem in that area and that the UK is meeting its greenhouse gas emissions target under the Kyoto principles.

Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure, the climate change levy is a reserved matter. The UK Government has sought to design the levy in a way that maximises its environmental effectiveness whilst protecting the competitiveness of UK firms.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it has made for grant assistance to businesses to enable them to make the capital investment required to enable them to meet the energy saving targets that must be set to qualify for an 80% rebate of the climate change levy.

Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure the climate change levy is a reserved matter. There are no plans to introduce a grant scheme. DETR is currently negotiating a series of agreements with various business sectoral organisations under which an 80% rebate on the levy will be available in exchange for the sector as a whole agreeing to meet stringent energy efficiency targets. Businesses will also benefit from other incentives including tax allowances against investment in energy efficient technology, reductions in National Insurance contributions and the availability of free advice on improving energy efficiency.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it is currently providing to Scottish businesses and local authorities with regard to the climate change levy due to be implemented on 1 April 2001; what form this information takes; when it was made available, and what has been the take-up of such information.

Henry McLeish: The climate change levy is a UK taxation measure, and the principal sources of information are DETR and HM Treasury, which have publicised it through a consultation document and communications with UK trade associations.

  In Scotland, information has been made available to businesses over the Internet, including the website of our Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO). In addition, the SEEO is currently engaged in a series of regional and sectoral events to explain to businesses how the levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact; several such presentations have already been made.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to alert businesses to the rise in fuel costs which will result from the introduction of the climate change levy on 1 April 2001 and enable them to adjust their budgets accordingly.

Henry McLeish: The climate change levy is a UK taxation measure, and the principal sources of information are DETR and HM Treasury, which have publicised it through a consultation document and communications with UK trade associations.

  In Scotland, information has been made available to businesses over the Internet, including the website of our Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO). In addition, the SEEO is currently engaged in a series of regional and sectoral events to explain to businesses how the levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact; several such presentations have already been made.

Disabled People

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a national group, comprising transport providers, disabled people and policy makers, to discuss the transport needs of disabled people.

Sarah Boyack: I announced in March that a national group would be formed to advise the Executive on the transport needs of people with disabilities. It is planned that the group will include representatives of a variety of organisations concerned with people experiencing mobility problems. The full membership of the group will be announced following consultation with groups representing disabled people and transport bodies.

Disabled People

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a mechanism for undertaking regular consultation with disabled people in relation to the formulation of national or local transport policy.

Sarah Boyack: I announced in March that a national group would be formed to advise the Executive on the transport needs of people with disabilities. The group is expected to meet regularly and will contain representatives of a wide variety of organisations concerned with people experiencing mobility problems.

Disabled People

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to bring forward proposals to create local strategies aimed at encouraging the co-ordination and development of public transport for disabled people.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive’s recently issued guidance to local authorities on the preparation of full Local Transport Strategies for their area stresses the need for strategies to address the key transport factors affecting people with disabilities. A copy of the guidance is available in SPICe.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what each local authority’s capital expenditure on schools was in each of the past five years.

Peter Peacock: The tables below give details of local authority gross capital expenditure on education, by authority, for financial years 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000. The 1999-2000 data are provisional. The information has been compiled from local authority capital payment returns.

  Capital Expenditure1

  Education2

  

 

1996-97 


1997-98 



 

Total
Gross Capital
Expenditure3


of which
Capital Funded
from Current
Revenue 


Total
Gross Capital
Expenditure3,4


of which
Capital Funded
from Current
Revenue 



 

£000 


£000 


£000 


£000 




Scotland 


121,734 


20,154 


124,342 


11,589 




Aberdeen City 


4,390 


360 


4,677 


1,362 




Aberdeenshire 


5,790 


0 


3,721 


0 




Angus 


429 


114 


2,067 


105 




Argyll & Bute 


2,246 


0 


3,209 


0 




Clackmannanshire 


252 


113 


1,138 


0 




Dumfries & Galloway 


5,990 


0 


6,459 


75 




Dundee City 


3,116 


0 


2,905 


625 




East Ayrshire 


2,626 


495 


2,654 


412 




East Dunbartonshire 


2,459 


0 


2,632 


97 




East Lothian 


6,488 


1,424 


6,013 


0 




East Renfrewshire 


677 


344 


2,737 


512 




Edinburgh City 


14,415 


0 


15,682 


0 




Eilean Siar 


1,905 


0 


1,355 


0 




Falkirk 


3,830 


250 


2,202 


0 




Fife 


7,436 


1,456 


6,554 


225 




Glasgow City 


12,045 


4,400 


8,734 


0 




Highland 


5,159 


300 


6,092 


0 




Inverclyde 


1,787 


0 


1,994 


0 




Midlothian 


582 


39 


516 


233 




Moray 


2,734 


242 


1,470 


242 




North Ayrshire 


5,272 


690 


4,605 


0 




North Lanarkshire 


3,313 


0 


5,358 


1,030 




Orkney 


1,523 


533 


1,792 


717 




Perth & Kinross 


493 


201 


1,444 


143 




Renfrewshire 


1,912 


0 


2,396 


94 




Scottish Borders 


1,396 


0 


1,668 


484 




Shetland 


1,774 


1,751 


2,644 


2,567 




South Ayrshire 


3,483 


375 


2,861 


1,000 




South Lanarkshire 


7,610 


0 


5,847 


1,483 




Stirling 


2,136 


280 


1,812 


0 




West Dunbartonshire 


1,537 


0 


2,526 


72 




West Lothian 


6,929 


6,787 


8,578 


111 




  Source: As reported by local authorities on Capital Payments and their Financing Statistical Returns CPR 5 1996-97, 1997-98.

  Notes:

  1. Capital is reported on a cash (not accruals) basis.

  2. Includes nursery schools, primary and secondary schools, special schools and community education.

  3. Gross Capital Expenditure includes payments both funded and not funded from revenue.

  4. Includes New Deal for Schools.

  Capital Expenditure1

  Education2

  

 

1998-99 


1999-2000 



 

Total
Gross Capital
Expenditure3,4


of which
Capital Funded
from Current
Revenue 


Total
Gross Capital
Expenditure3,4


of which
Capital Funded
from Current
Revenue 



 

£000 


£000 


£000 


£000 




Scotland 


166,546 


41,205 


154,292 


19,408 




Aberdeen City 


6,518 


1,001 


3,333 


0 




Aberdeenshire 


4,153 


0 


3,433 


0 




Angus 


2,952 


1,905 


3,041 


530 




Argyll & Bute 


2,658 


238 


3,400 


543 




Clackmannanshire 


2,405 


245 


1,712 


0 




Dumfries & Galloway 


3,787 


276 


5,018 


0 




Dundee City 


4,537 


2,244 


3,165 


547 




East Ayrshire 


3,000 


1,000 


2,967 


0 




East Dunbartonshire 


1,853 


256 


3,325 


890 




East Lothian 


4,240 


232 


5,230 


0 




East Renfrewshire 


2,379 


284 


3,020 


904 




Edinburgh City 


21,520 


1,022 


18,045 


1,227 




Eilean Siar 


2,032 


0 


2,299 


0 




Falkirk 


2,939 


481 


2,698 


0 




Fife 


4,847 


2,690 


4,357 


0 

 



Glasgow City 


24,267 


12,337 


13,491 


1,500 




Highland 


7,070 


976 


10,375 


2,729 




Inverclyde 


3,696 


283 


4,219 


2,270 




Midlothian 


1,348 


291 


2,636 


599 




Moray 


2,251 


520 


1,714 


42 




North Ayrshire 


4,658 


0 


4,312 


0 




North Lanarkshire 


7,261 


1,078 


5,109 


0 




Orkney 


4,279 


1,897 


6,026 


1,366 




Perth & Kinross 


2,044 


353 


2,990 


451 




Renfrewshire 


4,101 


2,207 


4,486 


1,115 




Scottish Borders 


2,923 


305 


2,630 


0 




Shetland 


2,782 


2,569 


3,506 


2,234 




South Ayrshire 


2,759 


0 


3,600 


0 




South Lanarkshire 


11,123 


3,480 


7,696 


1,790 




Stirling 


4,099 


1,396 


2,570 


0 




West Dunbartonshire 


3,404 


692 


3,406 


0 




West Lothian 


8,661 


947 


10,483 


671 




  Source: As reported by local authorities on Capital Payments and their Financing Statistical Returns CPR 5 1998-99 and CPR 3d 1999-2000.

  Notes:

  1. Capital is reported on a cash (not accruals) basis.

  2. Includes nursery schools, primary and secondary schools, special schools and community education.

  3. Gross Capital Expenditure includes payments both funded and not funded from revenue.

  4. Includes New Deal for Schools.

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Higher Still Higher maths examination did not reflect the work covered in schools.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Assessment, including the content of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I understand from the authority that the Higher Still maths exam reflected the syllabus as published in the course arrangement documents.

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why a statistics option was included in the Higher Still Higher maths examination when it had not been included in the curriculum.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Assessment, including the content of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

  I understand from the SQA that statistics is an optional unit within the curriculum.

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how a pass mark will be set for the Higher Still Higher maths paper given that the exam did not reflect the content of teaching.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Assessment, including the marking of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I understand from the authority that the exam paper did reflect the course syllabus.

Education

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any public concerns about this year’s Higher Still Higher maths examination and what steps it is taking to address any such concerns.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Assessment, including the content of examinations, is within the remit of the SQA.

  The Executive is aware of concerns about this year’s Higher Still maths exam. Officials are monitoring the situation with the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Ron Tuck, Chief Executive of the SQA, is gathering feedback on the exam and will respond to the views expressed.

Employment

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that the local labour market has the necessary skills base to benefit from any increase in jobs in construction projects generated by both the Public/Private Partnership programme in Glasgow’s schools and the proposed housing stock transfer in Glasgow.

Henry McLeish: Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow are addressing this issue in order to maximise the employment and training benefits of these projects. Scottish Enterprise Glasgow are taking a proactive approach to the funding of training in the construction related trades.

  The council is committed to providing 1,000 construction-based accredited training places in the current financial year and are working with employers and S4 pupils to encourage uptake of training in the construction industry.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses there are in Scotland and what percentage employ 10 people or less.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive’s Scottish corporate sector figures are produced by the Government Statistical Service using data from the Office for National Statistics’ Inter Departmental Business Register, the Labour Force Survey and the Inland Revenue’s Survey for Personal Income.

  Scottish Executive estimates of size of businesses in 1997 and 1998 were published in Scottish Economic Statistics (table 2.1) in January 2000. This publication is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), or from the Scottish Executive website (www.scotland.gov.uk).

  For very small companies, the sizebands are given for 0, 1-4 and 5-9 employees. It should be noted that the zero sizeband figures include estimates from the Labour Force Survey and the Inland Revenue’s Survey for Personal Income.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to eliminate any constraints on small business growth.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to stimulate increased employment and wealth creation in the small business sector.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is committed to creating a culture of enterprise and a sustainable business environment with higher levels of productivity and employment. Working with our economic development agencies we have a range of policies and measures in place to provide new and existing small businesses with the support they need to develop and grow.

  These include the £12 million Business Growth Fund which provides loan funding to businesses unable to access finance from established sources; Business Mentoring Scotland - a new scheme designed to provide firms with growth potential with the benefits of an experienced business mentor; and the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit established to ensure that the regulatory environment is alert to small firms needs. In addition, our Small Business Consultative Group ensures direct and continuing dialogue between the Scottish Executive and the small business community.

  But we want to do more to support the small business community. We are determined to improve the quality and consistency of support to small business by providing easier access to a new, improved and more consistent range of services. I plan to announce details soon.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to undertake a review of legislation as it affects small businesses to assess its impact.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has committed itself to tackling any unnecessary legislative burden on business. The Improving Regulation in Scotland (IRIS) unit has organised a number of events around Scotland where the business community has the opportunity to raise its regulatory concerns direct with the Executive. This is just one stage in what is a continuing dialogue between the Executive and business. In particular, small businesses and their needs are at the core of all discussions and the Executive will consider any action required in the light of this dialogue.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to assess the effect of proposed legislation, prior to implementation, on the ability of small businesses to comply in terms of both cost and technical implications.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive requires that a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is completed before introducing any legislation which will have a significant impact upon business. This document, which must be included in any consultation, addresses the cost to business both in terms of compliance costs and any other costs incurred. The Executive recognises that regulatory burdens can have a disproportionate effect on small businesses. Consequently, the RIA as with all Executive policy begins from the "think small first" position and includes the "small business litmus test" to ensure the particular interests of small businesses are to the fore when developing policy.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist existing and new small businesses to expand and take on new employees.

Henry McLeish: I refer Mr Kenneth Gibson to the answer I gave to question S1W-7739 on 22 June.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the impact that the establishment of a "fast track" UK patent system for small businesses could have on small businesses in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including the UK patent system. The existing UK patent system already provides for accelerated processing leading to the grant of a patent in as little as 10 months. This service is available for any applicant who requests it and is not limited or focused on SMEs.

Environment

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in its role as the body responsible for Scotland’s environment, it has responded to Her Majesty’s Government’s consultation exercise into the options for managing the fuel from Dounreay’s Prototype Fast Reactor and, if so, whether it will place a copy of its response in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received copies of the responses to the consultation exercise. We are currently considering these and will liaise with DTI Ministers before a final decision is reached.

Equal Opportunities

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Executive is making in promoting equal opportunities and tackling racism.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all and has established an Equality Unit as part of the Executive Secretariat. In January we issued a consultation paper on the development of an equality strategy. A detailed report on responses has now been published and will assist in the development of that strategy and programme of action to be published in September.

  In tackling racism, we set up the Race Equality Advisory Forum to advise us on race equality issues. The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Steering Group is overseeing progress on the implementation of the Executive’s action plan following the MacPherson Report.

Equal Opportunities

Ms Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote equal opportunities and tackle racism.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all. In support of that commitment the Executive established an Equality Unit and is currently engaged in the development of an equality strategy.

  The Executive is working to tackle racism and promote race equality. The Race Equality Advisory Forum was set up to advise the Scottish Executive on broad race equality issues and their work will feed in to the development of the equality strategy along with ongoing dialogue with ethnic minority communities and interests.

  The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Steering Group was set up to oversee progress on the implementation of the Executive’s action plan in response to the Macpherson Report.

Fertility Treatment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the adoption of each of the eligibility criteria outlined by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland for NHS-funded assisted conception.

Susan Deacon: The report of the Expert Advisory Group provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility services in Scotland which includes recommendations on eligibility criteria. It will also provide equity of access to services and treatment. The report has issued to all health boards and NHS Trusts in Scotland who have been asked to work towards implementation of the report as resources permit. At the same time health boards and NHS Trusts have been asked to bear in mind their existing clinical priorities which are cancer, coronary heart disease/stroke and mental health.

Fisheries

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement about the Fisheries Council held on 16 June.

Mr John Home Robertson: I attended the Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg on 16 June as part of the UK team.

  The council covered a number of issues relevant to the Scottish fishing industry. On the agenda at the UK’s request was an item about the haddock fishery to the west of Rockall. I raised this matter in the council and emphasised the risk to stocks as a result of the recent activities by Russian vessels in international waters. I also stressed the need to bring this fishery under proper regulation by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). It was extremely encouraging to get strong support for this initiative from a number of other member states and a commitment from the Commission to raise this issue in NEAFC.

  The council also discussed the Commission’s report on fleet capacity (the Multi-Annual Guidance Programmes - MAGP). The UK team made it clear that the recommendations contained in the report were unacceptable and outlined, in particular, the need for activity controls to remain an option for managing the fishing effort of the Scottish pelagic fleet.

  The council agreed new arrangements for the collection of biological and economic data. It also discussed reports about Regional Fisheries Organisations, the integration of environmental considerations into the Common Fisheries Policy, Regional Workshops, the EC’s fisheries agreement with Morocco, the external aspects of the CFP, a review of the total allowable catch for anchovies and concerns about by-catch of small cetaceans.

  I have made a more detailed written report to the Rural Affairs Committee, a copy of which will be placed in the Parliament’s Information Centre.

Flood Prevention

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider revising flood defence legislation to take account of river catchment areas rather than local authority boundaries.

Sarah Boyack: The Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 provides for local authorities to take measures for the prevention or mitigation of flooding of non-agricultural land in their area. The Act already allows for the exercise of these powers by a local authority to take place on land outwith their area. There are therefore no restrictions now to prevent local authorities working together on a catchment basis.

  In addition, guidance contained within National Planning Policy Guideline 7 advocates wide consultation and encourages the creation of Flood Appraisal Groups. A number of such groups have been formed, some based on catchment considerations rather than local authority boundaries.

Geese

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of the financial package outlined in the National Goose Forum report.

Sarah Boyack: No decisions have been made on the level of financial assistance for Local Goose Management Schemes following the publication of the Report and Recommendations of the National Goose Forum.

  The consultation period finished on 10 April 2000. Scottish Ministers are now taking account of submitted responses. It is hoped that local groups will come forward with proposals for effective Goose Management Schemes, including realistic payments rates for approval, to be in place for the winter of 2000-01.

Genetically Modified Crops

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish all of the information which it holds from Advanta UK on the contamination of conventional rapeseed with genetically modified rapeseed.

Ross Finnie: We have received information on contaminated seed lot numbers which will help farmers confirm whether they have sown a contaminated crop but that is principally a matter between Advanta and farmers. As the farmers are the innocent party in this matter I do not think any public interest would be served by publishing any information we have obtained from Advanta.

Genetically Modified Crops

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a seed purity inspection system will be introduced; if so, when the process of planning this system began; when details of how the system will work will be published; whether the introduction of the system is conditional upon EU or other international agreements; how much the system will cost, and how the system’s costs will be funded.

Ross Finnie: We have had a seeds inspection system in Scotland for many years. However, the EU Commission recently published proposals to tighten up seed purity legislation which will be discussed in the Commission and the EU Council before being negotiated through the OECD. The proposals are at an early stage and do not contain any details on the cost of the system or its funding.

Genetically Modified Crops

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether farmers in Scotland were informed about the recent importing of GM seed produced by Advanta after farmers in England and Wales.

Ross Finnie: No. The adventitious presence of GM seed in conventional seed stocks was first announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 17 May 2000.

Genetically Modified Crops

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is of when it was first discovered that conventional Advanta rapeseed had been contaminated with GM rapeseed.

Ross Finnie: We understand that this problem first came to light on 3 April when laboratory tests in Germany identified low levels of GM rapeseed in conventional rapeseed stocks. Advanta informed UK Government officials of this on 17 April.

Genetically Modified Seed

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its understanding is of the actual distances between fields that had been used to produce conventional Advanta rapeseed and the GM crops responsible for the cross-pollination of the conventional crop.

Ross Finnie: The circumstances which have given rise to the contamination of the seed in Canada are still being investigated. It remains to be determined with certainty that the contamination was caused by cross-pollination. The UK is working closely with the Canadian authorities to obtain this information.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in establishing a network of Healthy Living Centres.

Susan Deacon: The Healthy Living Centre initiative, worth £34.5 million in Scotland, has a December deadline for first stage applications. At the start of June, 51 Scottish applications had been submitted and, of these, 23 had already passed to the second stage of the application process. The New Opportunities Fund expect to announce the first successful HLCs later this year.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many flu vaccines were administered in 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-662 by Susan Deacon on 11 October 1999, whether health boards will be asked to absorb revenue costs to them of flouridating water supplies, including their share of capital costs, insofar as they are not met by the Executive, or whether their budgets will be adjusted, on a board by board basis, to compensate them for the costs incurred by flouridation.

Susan Deacon: This will be determined at the appropriate time as part of the Executive’s wider consideration of fluoridation issues.

Health

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there will be a programme of meningitis inoculations for students at Scottish higher and further education institutions at the start of the next academic session.

Susan Deacon: Arrangements are in hand to ensure that any unimmunised new full-time students this year, who have not already been vaccinated against meningococcal C infection, will be offered the Men C vaccination prior to commencing their courses.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the Acheson report’s 39 policy recommendations have been or are being implemented in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: In 1997 Sir Donald Acheson, the former Chief Medical Officer for England, was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health to review and summarise inequalities in health in England and to identify priority areas for the development of policies to reduce them. The resulting report and its policy recommendations were, therefore, of specific relevance to England. However, the report was used generally to help to inform the approach of the Scottish White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland,  which has tackling health inequalities as its overarching aim. The Scottish Executive has adopted that White Paper as the basis for its public health strategy and is working with a range of partners to implement it. A copy of the White Paper is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 3036).

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy is being developed to improve the population’s health and reduce inequalities in health in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has adopted the White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland , which was produced after extensive consultation throughout Scotland, as the basis for its strategy. A copy of the White Paper is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 3036).

Health

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been provided to Greater Glasgow Health Board to deal with recent deaths caused by contamination of heroin in the Glasgow area.

Susan Deacon: Greater Glasgow Health Board receives an annual general revenue allocation. It is for the board to determine within the funds available how to manage and deliver local healthcare services to meet the needs of its resident population. No separate funds have therefore been allocated to deal with the recent deaths caused by the contamination of heroin in the Glasgow area. For 2000-01, GGHB has been allocated a unified budget of £772.366 million, an increase of 5.4 % over that for 1999-2000.

  The Executive commends the work being done by Dr Gruer and his team in co-ordinating what is effectively an international investigation into establishing the precise cause of these deaths. On 15 June, Dr Gruer announced that the bacterium Clostridium novyi was likely to be the main cause of the illness in most of the people affected in this outbreak. Work is continuing to try and establish how exactly Clostridium novyi is contributing to the illness.

Health

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to deal with the recent heroin deaths in Glasgow in addition to the action which is presently being taken by Greater Glasgow Health Board.

Susan Deacon: The Executive does not believe that an official inquiry into the current outbreak of deaths among drug injectors is appropriate, as there is an official investigation being undertaken led by Dr Laurence Gruer of the Public Health Medicine Unit of Greater Glasgow Health Board, which is continuing.

  The Executive and the health board have done everything appropriate to the situation, keeping all clinical agencies and the public informed on a regular basis. GGHB and the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health are co-ordinating the investigation on a global level, as the outbreak is now international. They have drawn in a range of international agencies and experts in tackling the problem.

  On 15 June, the investigation team announced that the likely cause of the outbreak in Glasgow was the bacterium Clostridium novyi. Work is continuing and the heroin will be cultured under a variety of conditions in an attempt to isolate the Clostridia and other bacteria.

Health Expenditure

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what total and per-capita health expenditure in Greater Glasgow has been over each of the last five years.

Susan Deacon: Greater Glasgow Health Board has maintained a steady rise in total and per capita revenue expenditure over the last five years.

  


Greater Glasgow Health Board 


1995-96
000 


1996-97
000 


1997-98
000 


1998-99
000 


1999-2000
000 




Base Population 


896.3 


907.0 


902.4 


902.3 


902.3 




Revenue Expenditure 


£802,648 


£823,760 


£849,122 


£875,474 


£920,978 




Revenue Per Capita Expenditure 


£896 


£908 


£941 


£970 


£1,021 




  The figures for 1999-2000 have been provided by Greater Glasgow Health Board, they are unaudited figures and are therefore potentially subject to change.

Higher Education

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has decided not to designate the University of the Highlands and Islands as an institution eligible for funding by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: An application for designation of a new institution, called UHI, was received in December 1998. A public consultation exercise identified a number of issues to be addressed before Ministers can reach a decision. Once UHI has addressed these issues we will be able to make that decision.

Homelessness

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has carried out into any impact on the number of rough sleepers which the removal of benefit for 16 and 17-year-olds may have had.

Jackie Baillie: No specific assessment has been undertaken. The Homelessness Task Force, which I chair, is taking a wide-ranging look at the underlying nature and causes of homelessness and as part of our programme of work we will be considering youth homelessness and benefit issues. Responsibility for the payment of benefit is a matter for the Department of Social Security, which is represented on the task force.

Housing

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projections of public sector right to buy sales from (a) 1986 to 1996 and (b) 1991 to 1996 would have been made in 1986 and 1991 respectively, using the methodology developed by Scottish Homes to predict the likely take-up of right to buy if it were extended to all tenants of non-charitable housing associations.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Projections for 1986 to 1996 are not available. Projections for 1991-96 give sales estimates of 127,610 – equivalent to 15%. The actual sales in the period were 118,475 or 14%. These projections relate to the anticipated take-up amongst the 43,000 non-charitable housing association tenants who are currently excluded from the right to buy.

Justice

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations are in place governing the sale of offensive weapons including replica swords, daggers and axes, either through retail outlets or through mail order.

Angus MacKay: The sale of any knife, knife blade, other article with a blade or which is sharply pointed, or axe, to a person under the age of 16 is prohibited. In addition it is an offence to market a knife in a way which suggests that it is suitable for combat or is likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour. There is a ban on the manufacture, sale and importation of a number of other bladed, pointed and other offensive weapons.

Knowledge Economy Task Force

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Knowledge Economy Task Force to report.

Henry McLeish: The Knowledge Economy Task Force is expected to finalise its report by August of this year, following which I will consult with Cabinet colleagues.

Legislation

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to undertake a rolling review of existing legislation in order to ensure that any which is no longer relevant is revoked or amended and what representations it is making to Her Majesty’s Government and the European Parliament to do likewise.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is committed to reducing the burden on businesses caused by unnecessary legislation. The Improving Regulation in Scotland unit has a continuing dialogue with businesses and pursues any regulatory concerns they raise.

Lingerbay Quarry

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1704 by Sarah Boyack on 18 May 2000, when the planning application for the Lingerbay Quarry was received and what are the specific aspects of the case which are responsible for the delay in its conclusions.

Sarah Boyack: The planning application was submitted to the Western Isles Islands Council on 25 March 1991. It was thereafter called-in, for the then Secretary of State’s determination, on 6 January 1994. A public local inquiry was held between 11 October 1994 and 6 June 1995. The report of the inquiry was submitted to the Secretary of State on 29 April 1999.

  The report raises a number of complex issues. It would, however, be inappropriate to identify these in advance of the announcement of the Scottish Ministers’ decision.

Meat

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still the case that only one abattoir in Scotland can deal with beef for exporting purposes and, if so, what steps it is taking to ensure that more abattoirs can deal with beef for exporting purposes.

Ross Finnie: I can confirm that only one plant in Scotland is approved to export beef under the provisions of the Date-Based Export Scheme.

  At present the plant is able to deal with the current volume of exports. Additional participation in the scheme is a matter for the commercial judgment of each abattoir company. Efforts will continue to be made to persuade the European Commission and other member states to make changes to the scheme to help encourage increased participation in the beef export market.

Meat

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to help regain lost beef export markets.

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken by Quality Meat Scotland to help regain lost beef export markets.

Ross Finnie: The Executive attaches high priority to assisting the industry to regain lost beef export markets. We have supported the industry’s efforts to build up a brand of integrity; I have briefed influential European journalists, attachés and others on the measures now in place to ensure the health and quality of our beef; and I have ensured that our grant schemes continue to support, where possible, the marketing efforts of those who have committed themselves to lead the Scotch beef industry back into Europe. I welcome the formation of Quality Meat Scotland which will give further emphasis to the industry’s export efforts; and, with other UK Agriculture Ministers, I am keeping under careful review our approach to the Date Based Export Scheme in the light of the continuing fall in numbers of cases of BSE.

Ministerial Correspondence

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment will answer my letter of 28 March 2000 regarding the Tay Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Sarah Boyack: I wrote to the Member on 13 June. I also understand that she has already received a full reply to the issues raised in a letter from the Chief Executive of the North of Scotland Water Authority, Alastair Findlay, dated 7 April.

NHS Funding

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total funding for the health service in Scotland was for each year since 1945, or the earliest year for which figures are available, in cash and real terms at 1998-99 prices.

Susan Deacon: Data is available from 1978-79 and is as detailed in the following table:

  


Year 


Expenditure in 
Cash Terms
£000 


Expenditure in 
Real Terms at 1998-99 Prices
£000 




1978-79 


870,000 


2,815,045 




1979-80 


1,036,000 


2,870,500 




1980-81 


1,307,000 


3,062,540 




1981-82 


1,492,000 


3,192,699 




1982-83 


1,614,000 


3,229,982 




1983-84 


1,720,000 


3,289,670 




1984-85 


1,845,000 


3,352,519 




1985-86 


1,954,000 


3,372,703 




1986-87 


2,071,000 


3,466,599 




1987-88 


2,248,000 


3,572,385 




1988-89 


2,501,000 


3,722,244 




1989-90 


2,720,946 


3,779,169 




1990-91 


2,971,997 


3,827,985 




1991-92 


3,342,545 


4,053,905 




1992-93 


3,668,313 


4,306,494 




1993-94 


3,776,519 


4,318,855 




1994-95 


3,948,001 


4,451,365 




1995-96 


4,092,470 


4,484,688 




1996-97 


4,237,356 


4,498,553 




1997-98 


4,353,695 


4,496,800 




1998-99 


4,589,002 


4,589,002 




1999-2000* 


5,076,000 


4,952,195 




2000-01+ 


5,415,000 


5,166,689 




2001-02+ 


5,822,000 


5,419,545 




2002-03+ 


6,241,000 


5,667,865 




2003-04+ 


6,694,000 


5,931,032 




  *Estimated Outturn

  +Planned Expenditure

NHS Funding

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual percentage real terms increase in funding was for the health service in Scotland in each year since 1945, or the earliest year for which figures are available.

Susan Deacon: Data is available from 1979-80 and is as detailed in the following table:

  


Year 


Annual % Real 
Terms increases at 1998-99 Prices 




1979-80 


2.0 




1980-81 


6.7 




1981-82 


4.3 




1982-83 


1.2 




1983-84 


1.8 




1984-85 


1.9 




1985-86 


0.6 




1986-87 


2.8 




1987-88 


3.1 




1988-89 


4.2 




1989-90 


1.5 




1990-91 


1.3 




1991-92 


5.9 




1992-93 


6.2 




1993-94 


0.3 




1994-95 


3.1 




1995-96 


0.7 




1996-97 


0.3 




1997-98 


0 




1998-99 


2.1 




1999-2000* 


7.9 




2000-01+ 


4.3 




2001-02+ 


4.9 




2002-03+ 


4.6 




2003-04+ 


4.6 




  *Based on estimated outturn

  +Based on planned expenditure

NHS Staff

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant posts are currently vacant and, of these, how many have been vacant for over six months, broken down in each case by specialty and by health board area.

Susan Deacon: A detailed breakdown of consultant vacancies by speciality and health board area is shown in attached tables 1 and 2.

  As at 30 September 1999, the total number of consultant vacancies was 135, or 4.1% of the total consultant establishment of 3,258 posts. This compares favourably with an average vacancy rate of 5.9% for the years 1995-98.

  Posts vacant for over six months were 55, or 1.7% of the consultant establishment, compared to an average of 2.4% for the years 1995-98. In the specialties with the highest levels of vacancies the situation has been examined with the relevant Royal Colleges and the number of trainees adjusted to improve the balance of supply and demand in the coming years.

  Table 1

  Vacant consultant posts in the NHS in Scotland by speciality and health board

  Total vacancies as at 30 September 1999

  

 

Ayrshire and
Arran 


Borders 


Argyll and Clyde 


Fife 


Greater Glasgow 


Highland 


Lanarkshire 




Total Number of Established Consultant 
Posts 


160 


59 


200 


152 


839 


120 


256 




Total Consultant Vacancies 


9 


2 


9 


8 


23 


4 


22 



 



Accident and Emergency 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Anaesthetics 


- 


- 


1 


- 


3 


- 


3 




Clinical Laboratory 
Specialties 




Haematology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Histopathology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Medical Microbiology & Virology 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Medical Specialties 




Dermatology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Cardiology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


2 




General medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Renal medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Geriatrics 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


2 




Neurology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Paediatrics 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


2 




Rehabilitation 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Obstetrics & Gynaecology 


- 


- 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 




Psychiatric Specialties 




Child & adolescent psychiatry 


1 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 




Forensic psychiatry 


1 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




General psychiatry 


1 


- 


3 


- 


4 


- 


- 




Psychiatry of learningdisability 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Old age psychiatry 


3 


- 

 
 

1 


- 


2 




Pscyhotherapy 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Radiology 




Clinical radiology 


1 


-


-


4 


1 


-


2 




Surgical Specialties 




Cardiothoracic surgery 


-


-


-


-


1 


-


-




ENT surgery 


-


2 


-


-


2 


-


-




General surgery 


-


-


-


-


1 


1 


1 




Neurosurgery 


-


-


-


-


-


-


-




Opthalmology 


-


-


-


-


-


-


3 




Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery 


-


-


-


1 


1 


-


2 




Plastic sugery 


-


-


-


-


1 


-


-




Paediatric surgery 


-


-


-


-


-


-


-




Urology 


-


-


-


-


-


-


-




Community Specialties 




Community child health 


-


-


1 


-


-


-


-




Public health medicine 


1 


- 


1 


- 


- 


2 


- 




Dental Specialties 




Oral medicine 


-


-


-


1 


-


-


- 




Oral surgery 


-


-


-


- 


-


-


1 




Orthodontics 


-


-


-


- 


-


-


- 




Community Dental Health 


-


-


-


- 


-


1 


- 




  

 

Grampian 


Lothian 


Tayside 


Forth Valley 


Western Isles 


Dumfries and Galloway 


Shetland 


State Hospitals 




Total Number of Established Consultant 
Posts 


335 


573 


332 


138 


14 


81 


10 


37 




Total Consultant Vacancies 


11 


13 


9 


12 


2 


7 


2 


2 



 



Accident and Emergency 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Anaesthetics 


- 


1 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Clinical Laboratory 
Specialties 




Haematology 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Histopathology 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Medical Microbiology & Virology 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Medical Specialties 




Dermatology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Cardiology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




General medicine 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Renal medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Geriatrics 


1 


1 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Neurology 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Paediatrics 


2 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Rehabilitation 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Obstetrics & Gynaecology 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatric Specialties 




Child & adolescent psychiatry 


1 


2 


- 


- 


- 


2 


- 


- 




Forensic psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


1 




General psychiatry 


- 


1 


- 


2 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatry of learning disability 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Old age psychiatry 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Psychotherapy 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Radiology 




Clinical radiology 


2 


1 


2 


4 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Surgical Specialties 




Cardiothoracic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




ENT surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




General surgery 


- 


- 


1 


- 


1 


- 


1 


- 




Neurosurgery 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Opthalmology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery 


- 


1 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 




Plastic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Paediatric surgery 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Urology 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Specialties 




Community child health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Public health medicine 


1 


1 


2 


1 


- 


1 


1 


1 




Dental Specialties 




Oral medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Oral surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Orthodontics 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Dental Health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




  Table 2

  Vacant consultant posts in the NHS in Scotland by speciality and health board

  Vacancies as at 30 September 1999 – vacant for more than 6 months

  

 

Ayrshire and
Arran 


Borders 


Argyll and Clyde 


Fife 


Greater Glasgow 


Highland 


Lanarkshire 




All Consultants 


2 


2 


1 


1 


7 


0 


10 




Accident & 
Emergency 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Anaesthetics 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


1 




Clinical Laboratory 
Specialties 




Haematology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Histopathology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Medical Microbiology 
& Virology 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Medical Specialties 




Dermatology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Cardiology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




General medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Renal medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Geriatrics 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


2 




Neurology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Paediatrics 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Rehabilitation 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Obstetrics & 
Gynaecology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatric Specialties 




Child & Adolescent 
psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 




Forensic psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




General psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatry of 
learning disability 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Old age psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


2 




Psychotherapy 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Radiology 




Clinical radiology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Surgical Specialties 




Cardiothoracic 
surgery  


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




ENT surgery 


- 


2 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




General surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 




Neurosurgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Opthalmology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Plastic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Paediatric surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Urology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Specialties 




Community child 
health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Public health 
medicine 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Dental Specialties 




Oral medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Oral surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Orthodontics 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Dental 
Health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




  

 

Grampian 


Lothian 


Tayside 


Forth Valley 


Western Isles 


Dumfries and Galloway 


Shetland 


State Hospitals 




All Consultants 


4 


9 


6 


7 


2 


4 


0 


0 




Accident & Emergency 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Anaesthetics 


- 


1 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Clinical Laboratory 
Specialties 




Haematology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Histopathology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Medical Microbiology & Virology 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Medical Specialties 




Dermatology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Cardiology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




General medicine 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Renal medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Geriatrics 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Neurology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Paediatrics 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Rehabilitation 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Obstetrics & Gynaecology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatric Specialties 




Child & Adolescent psychiatry 


- 


2 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Forensic psychiatry 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




General psychiatry 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychiatry of learning disability 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Old age psychiatry 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Psychotherapy 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Radiology 




Clinical radiology 


1 


- 


1 


4 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Surgical Specialties 




Cardiothoracic surgery  


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




ENT surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 




General surgery 


- 


- 


1 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 




Neurosurgery 


- 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Opthalmology 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


1 


1 


- 


- 


- 




Plastic surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Paediatric surgery 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Urology 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Specialties 




Community child health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Public health medicine 


- 


1 


1 


1 


- 


1 


- 


- 




Dental Specialties 




Oral medicine 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Oral surgery 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Orthodontics 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




Community Dental Health 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 




  Notes:

  1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.

  2. Staffing data is collected once a year, as at 30 September.

  3. Data as at 30 September 1999 is provisional.

  4. If an appointment has been made and the date of taking up appointment is after 30 September, the post is counted as vacant.

  5. If a consultant’s contract is terminated at 30 September, the post is not counted as vacant.

  6. There were no vacant posts in Orkney health board area.

NHS Trusts

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect the current level of investment in specialist services provided by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: Investment in the specialist services provided by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust is a local issue and as such is a matter for the health board and Trust.

NHS Trusts

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much revenue the three health trusts which carry out cardiac bypass operations derive from treating private as opposed to NHS patients.

Susan Deacon: Two of the three trusts which undertake bypass surgery for NHS patients also provide surgery for private patients. The revenue received from undertaking private procedures for these trusts in the year 1999-2000 is as follows:

  


Grampian University Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


£238 000 




Lothian University Hospitals 
NHS Trust 


£365 000 




  These procedures are undertaken in addition to those for NHS patients.

NHS Trusts

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much health trusts charge the NHS to carry out cardiac bypass operations compared to what they charge individuals privately.

Susan Deacon: For the costs to the NHS of bypass surgery, I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-5047. As NHS Trusts are part of the NHS they do not charge the NHS per se for carrying out bypass surgery.

  The cost of a bypass operation for private patients at the Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust is £7,955 and at the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust is £7,165.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what new information it obtained from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and whether the £3.8 million cost of the survey represented value for money.

Susan Deacon: The most recent National Diet and Nutrition Survey studied young people between the ages of four and 18. The only previous national survey of diet among school-age children was carried out in 1983, and included only 11-12 and 14-15-year-olds. The new survey therefore provides comprehensive, up-to-date information about the dietary habits and nutritional status of the current generation of young people. Such information is essential to gain an accurate picture of young people in Scotland so that the Executive can develop and monitor effective food, nutrition and health education programmes which properly meet the needs of all sections of the community.

  The survey was carried out on a national basis across Britain. I am advised by the Food Standards Agency Scotland that they were not required to contribute to the overall cost of £3.0 million. Similarly, no contribution was required from the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been done to assess the role socio-economic factors play in the incidence of malnutrition.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Health Survey  of 1995, commissioned by the then Scottish Office, found associations between socio-economic status, defined by occupational social class, and a range of indicators of quality and adequacy of diet. Other UK surveys, such as the National Food Survey (1996) and the National Diet and Nutrition Studies (1995) have found similar associations.

  Copies of all of these publications are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  The results of the most recent Scottish Health Survey (in 1998) will be published later this year and will inform policy to reduce health inequalities in Scotland.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether medical records state the nutritional status of patients and, if not, whether there are any plans for them to do so.

Susan Deacon: There are no national, mandatory standards for the layout or content of medical records in the Primary or Secondary care sectors. The recording of nutritional information is therefore at the discretion of the patient’s clinical team.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital and community dieticians there are in each health board area.

Susan Deacon: The latest information available centrally on numbers of dieticians employed in the NHS in Scotland is shown in the table.

  Dieticians employed in the NHS in Scotland by Health Board

  Headcount at 30 September 1999p

  

 

Number 




Scotland 


467 




Argyll and Clyde 


 33 




Ayrshire and Arran 


 44 




Borders 


 15 




Dumfries and Galloway 


 6 




Fife 


32 




Forth Valley 


30 




Grampian 


50 




Greater Glasgow 


90 




Highland 


13 




Lanarkshire 


34 




Lothian 


69 




Orkney 


 2 




Shetland 


 1 




Tayside 


45 




Western Isles 


 3 




  p provisional

  Source: National Manpower Statistics from payroll

  ISD Scotland

Organ Transplants

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to help in the rehabilitation of kidney transplant patients, in the light of the withdrawal of funds from the British Kidney Patients Association to provide this service.

Susan Deacon: Although the British Kidney Patients Association (BKPA) provides a range of support to people who suffer from kidney disease and their families, rehabilitation of kidney transplant patients is essentially for the clinicians concerned. It includes medical, physiotherapy, nursing and dietetic elements. Social work also has a role to play. Rehabilitation begins before the transplant, with the provision of information to patients, and is an integral part of the national Managed Clinical Network for adult renal transplantation which is currently being developed.

  As a UK organisation, the BKPA previously received funding from the Department of Health in England.

Parliamentary Questions

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an answer to question S1W-5733, lodged on 29 March 2000.

Sarah Boyack: This question was answered today.

Planning

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the recommendations of the inquiry into the Ayr United stadium planning application and whether it will give an assurance that it will publish its verdict quickly.

Sarah Boyack: The report of the public local inquiry has not yet been submitted to the Scottish Ministers. When it is received, every effort will be made to issue a decision at the earliest possible opportunity.

Police

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is towards the provision of police cover in the small towns and villages of rural Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The rural and urban parts of Scotland are given equal priority by the eight Scottish police forces, all of which have a mix of communities to police. The existing formula for distributing resources to individual forces makes an allowance for the additional operational costs of policing sparsely populated areas.

Police

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6233 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 May 2000, what steps it is taking to ensure that every police force establishes rape suites in their police stations as a matter of priority.

Mr Jim Wallace: Every Scottish police force has access to at least one rape suite. The number and location of rape suites in a force area is primarily a decision for the Chief Constable to make, taking into account operational priorities.

Prisons

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the prisons which have been assessed as being free from the use of illegal drugs and substances.

Angus MacKay: No prisons are assessed as being drug free, as it would be unrealistic to deny the possibility of drugs being present. However, all of the prisoners at HM Prisons Castle Huntly, Dungavel and Noranside have undertaken to having nothing to do with drugs. Across the prison estate as a whole, around 34% of accommodation is allocated to those who reject the drugs culture, and this is expected to rise to around 40% by April 2002.

Prisons

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidelines and resources are in place in prisons in Scotland to screen for mental disorders, monitor psychological adaptation to prison and identify symptoms resulting from use of drugs, medication, alcohol or contagious or chronic conditions.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  In 1998, the Scottish Prison Service published its Health Care Standards for Prisoners. Earlier this month, we launched Partnership and Co-ordination: SPS Action on Drugs. Both of these initiatives are supported by the necessary resources.

Rail Network

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or intends to make, representations against proposals in the Railways Bill, or any subsequent Transport Bill, which permit the Strategic Rail Authority to disregard directions and guidance relating to the provision of passenger rail services in Scotland given by Scottish Ministers.

Sarah Boyack: As announced by Henry McLeish in the House of Commons on 31 March 1998, the devolution settlement for railways includes the executive devolution of responsibility, within the GB policy framework, for the issuing of directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for Scottish passenger railway services. With the agreement of the Scottish Executive, the UK Transport Bill provides the statutory basis for this arrangement. We are in regular and close contact with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority on this matter.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any schemes, plans or studies for the expansion of electrification of the rail network and provide costings for these.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. They will reflect strategic priorities for the provision of passenger rail services throughout Scotland and build upon the good working relations that already exist between the Strategic Rail Authority, Train Operating Companies and Railtrack. It would then be for the Train Operating Company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure and rolling stock to meet the terms of the franchise.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any directions or guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Borders rail line; when these were given, and whether it will place copies in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. These will reflect the Executive’s strategic priorities for the provision of rail services throughout Scotland. In drawing up these priorities, consideration will be given to a range of proposals, including the Scottish Borders railway line. We will publish our directions and guidance when they are issued.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what instruction and guidance was given by it to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the East Coast main line franchise, whether it will detail any representations made regarding the line north of Edinburgh, and when it will publish these.

Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue advice to the Strategic Rail Authority for day-time cross-border passenger rail services. Since the Bill has not completed its passage through Parliament at Westminister, the Scottish Ministers are not yet able to exercise these powers.

  In advance of legislation, however, the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority has invited the Scottish Executive to submit advice as part of the franchise replacement negotiations for the East Coast Main Line. The Scottish Executive intends to publish this advice, which will be issued shortly.

Road Safety

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the issue of speeding vehicles in built-up areas.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Speeding issues are addressed in the road safety strategy published on 1 March. Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. The enforcement of speed limits is a matter for the police.

Road Safety

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to commission any study into the safety of Dennis Dart buses, following accidents involving this type of bus.

Sarah Boyack: Whilst the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence over bus policy, issues which affect the construction and operation of buses, such as vehicle standards, operator licensing and safety are reserved to the United Kingdom Government. The Scottish Executive has no plans to commission such a study.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the kerbing work recently carried out on the A75 and A76 in Dumfries and Galloway and how much this work cost.

Sarah Boyack: Kerbing works were undertaken at various sites on the A76 in Dumfries and Galloway to deter heavy goods vehicles from overrunning the verges. Kerbing works were also carried out on the A75 in association with a road drainage scheme.

  The cost of kerbing on the A76 was £12,000 and the combined drainage and kerbing works on the A75 was £16,300.

Roads

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4661 by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000, which sections of the A77 it intends to upgrade to near-motorway standard, and to detail the total indicative costs of the upgrade and the indicative costs for each phase of the upgrade.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has commissioned a feasibility study into the long-term upgrading of the A77 from Kilmarnock to Dutchhouse Roundabout to near motorway standard. Options are only at their formative stages and timescales and cost estimates will not be available until the study is completed in autumn this year.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 31 March 2000 of an additional £444 million package of improvements and repairs to the motorway and road network, on what date each of the 49 projects listed first appeared in the public domain as a project which it was willing to fund.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is as follows:

  


Project 


Date 




A1 Haddington to Dunbar 


04/11/1999 




A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and 
Stevenston Bypass 


04/11/1999 




A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel 


04/11/1999 




A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch 
Bypass 


04/11/1999 




M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick 


04/11/1999 




A876 Kincardine Bridge Studies 


02/12/1999 




A1 Howburn to Houndwood 


31/03/2000 




A7 Hawick Traffic Relief Scheme 


29/02/2000 




A68 Soutra 


31/03/2000 




A75 Cairntop to Barlae 


31/03/2000 




A75 Chapelton to Bush o’ Bield 


31/03/2000 




A76 Crossroads 


31/03/2000 




A76 Gateside 


31/03/2000 




A77 Central Reservation Safety 
Fencing 


31/03/2000 




A77 Hansel Village Footbridge 


31/03/2000 




A77 Turnberry 


31/03/2000 




A9 Bankfoot 


31/03/2000 




A9 North Kessock 


31/03/2000 




A90 Bridge of Dee to Ellon Road 
pedestrian improvements 


31/03/2000 




A90 Forfar 


04/11/1999 




A90 Glamis 


04/11/1999 




A90 Glendoick 


31/03/2000 




A90 Hatton Bends 


31/03/2000 




A90 Inchmichael 


04/11/1999 




A90 Inchture 


04/11/1999 




A90 Kinfauns 


31/03/2000 




A95 Cromdale 


31/03/2000 




A95 Advie Bridge replacement 


31/03/2000 




A96 Coachford 


31/03/2000 




A96 Newtongarry 


31/03/2000 




A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phase 
2  


24/01/2000 




A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phase 
3 


31/03/2000 




A8 Baillieston to Shotts Phase 
1 


31/03/2000 




A90 Kinfauns (Phase 2) 


31/03/2000 




A90 St Annes to Careston 


31/03/2000 




A92 Tay Bridge approach road 


31/03/2000 




A985 Admiralty Road, Rosyth 


31/03/2000 




M8 Claylands to Livingston 


31/03/2000 




M8 Cumbernauld Road to Provan 


31/03/2000 




M9 Almond Bridge 


31/03/2000 




M73 Manse Road to Lochend 


31/03/2000 




M73 Maryville to Baillieston 


31/03/2000 




M74 Raith Interchange 


31/03/2000 




A68 Drygrange Bridge 


31/03/2000 




A76 Afton Bridge 


31/03/2000 




A78 Inverkip Street Rail Bridge 


31/03/2000 




A87 Shiel Bridge 


31/03/2000 




M8 Kingston Bridge 


31/03/2000 




Skye Bridge discount scheme and 
freezing of tolls 


01/07/1999 




A9 Millennium Cycle Route 


31/03/2000

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 31 March 2000 of an additional £444 million package of improvements and repairs to the motorway and road network, what expenditure is proposed for each of the 49 projects listed in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02.

Sarah Boyack: The estimated expenditure for each project is as follows:

  Planned Expenditure

  


Project 


2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 



 



A1 Haddington to Dunbar 


0.118 


9.100 




A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and 
Stevenston Bypass 


0.254 


0.376 




A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel 


1.294 


5.100 




A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch 
Bypass 


0.204 


0.306 




M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick 


2.658 


1.850 




A876 Kincardine Bridge Studies 


1.100 


0.410 




A1 Howburn to Houndwood/Bowerhouse 
to Spott Road 


1.935 


4.345 




A7 Hawick Traffic Relief Scheme 


2.651 


0.165 




A68 Soutra 


1.015 


0.000 




A75 Cairntop to Barlae  


0.100 


1.990 




A75 Chapelton to Bush o’ Bield1


0.080 


0.070 




A76 Crossroads 


0.965 


0.000 




A76 Gateside 


0.030 


0.525 




A77 Central Reservation Safety 
Fencing   


0.750 


0.000 




A77 Hansel Village Footbridge2


0.035 


0.450 




A77 Turnberry  


0.100 


0.600 




A9 Bankfoot 


0.020 


0.500 




A9 North Kessock 


0.250 


0.250 




A90 Bridge of Dee to Ellon Road 
pedestrian improvements3


0.075 


0.177 




A90 Forfar – Kirriemuir 


0.105 


1.592 




A90 Forfar – Glamis 


0.125 


1.840 




A90 Glendoick4


0.129 


0.223 




A90 Hatton Bends5


0.150 


0.300 




A90 Inchmichael 


1.560 


2.280 




A90 Inchture 


0.020 


2.855 




A90 Kinfauns 6


0.129 


0.223 




A95 Cromdale 


0.154 


0.410 




A95 Advie Bridge replacement7


0.010 


0.250 




A96 Coachford8


0.103 


0.062 




A96 Newtongarry 


0.570 


1.012 




A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phases 
2 and 3 


7.098 


2.530 




A8 Baillieston to Shotts Phase 
1 


0.294 


5.424 




A90 Kinfauns (Phase 2) 


1.400 


0.028 




A90 St Annes to Careston 


0.700 


0.014 




A92 Tay Bridge Approach Road



0.700 


0.000 




A985 Admiralty Road, Rosyth



1.100 


0.000 




M8 Claylands to Livingston 


2.500 


0.050 




M8 Cumbernauld Road to Provan 


1.750 


0.035 




M9 Almond Bridge 


1.000 


0.020 




M73 Manse Road to Lochend 


1.200 


0.024 




M73 Maryville to Baillieston 


1.500 


0.030 




M74 Raith Interchange 


0.650 


0.015 




A68 Drygrange Bridge 


0.320 


0.200 




A76 Afton Bridge 


0.600 


0.008 




A78 Inverkip Street Rail Bridge9


0.050 


0.300 




A87 Shiel Bridge


0.240 


0.240 




M8 Kingston Bridge 


10.000 


10.000 




Skye Bridge discount scheme and 
freezing of tolls 


1.000 


1.100 




A9 Millennium Cycle Route 


2.150 


0.000 




  Notes:

  1. Estimated expenditure of £1.598 million in 2002-03.

  2. Estimated expenditure of £0.015 million in 2002-03.

  3. Estimated expenditure of £0.321 million in 2002-03.

  4. Preparation costs only; construction costs in later years.

  5. Estimated expenditure of £0.25 million in 2002-03.

  6. Preparation costs only; construction costs in later years.

  7. Estimated expenditure of £0.25 million in 2002-03.

  8. Estimated expenditure of £1.52 million in 2002-03.

  9. Estimated scheme cost is £2.2 million. Work expected to commence late 2001 with the balance of expenditure in 2002-03.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5474 by Sarah Boyack on 4 April 2000, why there is no Route Action Plan for the A701 and whether it intends to establish such a plan.

Sarah Boyack: The A701 trunk road between Dumfries and Beattock is not part of the strategic core network or a long distance route and it was not identified as a route requiring a Route Action Plan (RAP) in the Roads, Traffic and Safety 1992 policy document.

  The ongoing monitoring of the trunk road network has not identified any safety or operational problems on the A701 and therefore there are no plans to commission a RAP study for the route.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the removal of local authority involvement in trunk roads will deprive them of economies of scale and increase their unit costs in dealing with local roads, and whether the measure is consistent with its goals of an integrated approach to transport and best value for the public purse.

Sarah Boyack: The allocation of maintenance work on the trunk road network must conform to EU procurement directives and UK legislation and consequently the need for an open competition between competent providers is mandatory. Local authority consortia have been invited, along with other interested providers, to compete for each of the new contracts and will need to consider in their bids whether economies of scale can be reflected within their response to the competition.

  From the results of consultation, including the feedback from local authorities, I am satisfied that the proposed competition will deliver best value for the taxpayer.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will update the traffic flow measurements for the A7 illustrated in its 1994 leaflet, Hawick to the Border , in the light of (a) growth in traffic levels since then, (b) the completion of the southern sections of the M74 and (c) alterations to the status of the A68 south of the Border.

Sarah Boyack: The traffic flow figures for the A7 shown in the 1994 brochure A7 Route Action Plan-Hawick to the Border were derived as part of a large scale traffic study and current figures are not available in that format. However, the Scottish Executive records traffic data from key locations on the trunk road network and these are stored in the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  There are four counters operating on a daily basis on the A7. The figures for 1994 and 1998 (the latest year for which fully validated figures are available) and associated % growth are:

  A7 Annual Average Daily Flows (AADF)

  


LOCATION 


1994
AADF 


1998
AADF 


% Growth 




A7 South of Canonbie 


3,213* (3,265 Feb) 


4,035 (3,594 Feb) 


10% 




A7 Langholm 


3,442 


3,246 


-6% 




A7 North of Langholm 


2,228 (1,739 Feb) 


1,769** (1,796 
Feb) 


3% 




A7 Linhope South of Teviothead 


1,760 


1,736 


-1% 




  *January - March only (% growth based on February count only)

  ** February-March only (% growth based on February count only)

  Requests for Scottish traffic information can be made through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre or can be obtained directly from the Scottish Executive Road Network Management and Maintenance Division.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed expenditure on the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow, noted in page 95 of Investing in You , will allow the complete re-opening of the bridge.

Sarah Boyack: Following the completion of the Kingston Bridge Phase 1 Strengthening contract in December 2000 the existing traffic restrictions on the bridge will no longer be required.

  The ongoing programme of refurbishment works to the complex of approach viaducts and entry and exit ramps to Kingston Bridge will require separate traffic management schemes to allow the works to proceed safely.

Roads

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether whole life asset management rather than just road maintenance is required to link communities effectively and promote social and economic development.

Sarah Boyack: Road maintenance on the trunk road network, which is the responsibility of Scottish Ministers, is considered in the context of whole life asset management to ensure the integrity of the network in meeting the requirements of local and national planning.

Schools

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidelines to local authorities regarding schools supplementing income by installing vending machines which sell soft drinks and confectionery and, if so, what these guidelines will be.

Peter Peacock: The responsibility for the provision of vending machines rests with local authorities.

  The Scottish Diet Action Plan Eating for Health included nutritional guidelines for catering specifications for the public sector, targeted primarily at pre-school and school-age children.

  Local authorities were encouraged to adopt these guidelines.

Scientific Research

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what public funding the Moredun Foundation has received in each of the last five financial years and what the future funding plans are for those years for which figures are available.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive provides funding for the Moredun Research Institute (MRI), a subsidiary of the Moredun Foundation. The total sums paid to MRI in each of the last five financial years, and the allocations for this year and next year, are as follows:

  Actual payments

  


1995-96
£000 


1996-97
£000 


1997-98
£000 


1998-99
£000 


1999-2000
£000 




4,057 


4,036 


4,655 


4,055 


4,116 




  Planned funding

  


2000-01
£000 


2001-02
£000 




4,243 


4,241 




  The sums shown for 2000-01 and 2001-02 are provisional, and subject to change. This is particularly so where the funding is for specific fixed-term research contracts, and further contracts may be awarded.

  Exchequer funding is also received by MRI, for research undertaken on a contract basis from a variety of other sources such as the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and MAFF. The sources and amounts vary somewhat between years but, in 1999-2000 for example, such funding totalled some £425,000. Further research contracts are supported by European funds and by the private sector.

ScotRail

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is and criteria are for the renewal of the ScotRail franchise and when it intends to publish these.

Sarah Boyack: The process for replacing rail passenger franchises is being managed by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA). The SSRA wishes to see all current franchises with a duration of seven years replaced by new agreements by the end of 2001. The ScotRail franchise was let in 1997 for seven years, and expires in March 2004. The criteria for franchise replacement are outlined in the SSRA’s guidelines Building a Better Railway: Franchise Replacement , which will be made available in SPICe.

  The Executive will give the Strategic Rail Authority directions and guidance on the replacement of the ScotRail franchise, which we will publish.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the capital spend estimates contained in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The capital spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, page 31, relate to work on regeneration and new development partnerships, details of which are listed in Scotland’s Budget Document covering Housing expenditure, showing a list of projects of £1 million and over on which expenditure is likely to be incurred.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships contained in table 2.5 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The present profile of the current spend estimates for New Housing Partnerships for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


36.5 


73.5 




Feasibility and other work relating 
to possible stock transfer 


15.5 


7.9 




Assistance with residual debt 


21.0 


65.6

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Fund for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below. All figures are based on estimated SIP expenditure not actual SIP expenditure with grant paid at 75% of expenditure for 1999-2000 and 100% of expenditure thereafter.

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


67.6 


67.6 




Grant payments in respect of 
SIP current expenditure in 1999-20002


25.8 


- 




Grant payments in respect of 
SIP current expenditure in 2000-01 


19.5 


29.3 




Grant payments in respect of 
SIP current expenditure in 2001-02 


- 


18.5 




Grant payments in respect of 
current expenditure on traditional Urban Programme projects 


4.5 


0.8 




Loan charges 


3.3 


3.3 




Remaining Expenditure 


14.5 


15.7 




  Notes:

  1. The remaining expenditure from the SIP Fund reflects capital grant payments to SIPs, administrative costs claimed by grant recipients for the Urban Programme, and payments against projects where funding has been temporarily restricted.

  2. Estimated levels of grants in respect of SIP expenditure in 1999-2000 are calculated on the basis of firm funding allocations for 1999-2000, minus an in-year payment of grant made in 1999-2000 to Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow City Councils.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Working For Communities contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Working for Communities for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below.

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


3.8 


6.8 




Pathfinder Costs 


1.8 


1.8 




Supporting Social Justice Aims 


2.0 


5.0

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Partnerships contained in table 2.7 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Partnerships for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


3.100 


3.100 




Support cost payments to Social 
Inclusion Partnerships, regeneration partnerships and the 
Glasgow Alliance  


1.883 


1.883 




Sponsorsip of the Scottish Urban 
Regeneration Forum 


0.006 


0.006 




Sponsorship of the British Urban 
Regeneration Association 


0.002 


0.002 




Social Inclusion Partnership 
networking 


0.070 


0.075 




Funding for SIP drug misuse initiatives 
 


1.000 


1.000 




Unallocated 


0.139 


0.134

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Equalities contained in table 2.8 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Equalities is not available as the Scottish Executive is developing its equality strategy following a recent consultation. As part of that strategy, a detailed allocation of the Equality Programme Budget will be determined. In the meantime, the budget is being used to fund research and consultative work.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on Publicity and Policy contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on Publicity and Policy for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


1.6 


1.6 




Departmental Research 


1.2 


1.2 




Miscellaneous Departmental Committees 
and Information 


0.4 


0.4

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates on commissions and committees contained in table 2.9 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates on commissions and committees for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is set out below:

  

 

2000-01
£ million 


2001-02
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


0.500 


0.500 




Local Government Boundary Commission 
 


0.300 


0.300 




Local Government – Political 
Restrictions Exemptions Adjudicator 


0.027 


0.027 




Joint Staffing Watch 


0.012 


0.012 




Association of Scottish Community 
Councils Funding 


0.029 


0.029 




Unallocated 


0.086 


0.086

Scottish Executive Staff

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what are (a) the salary of the newly appointed head of the External Relations Division, (b) the number of staff assigned to the head of the Division and (c) the overall estimated cost in salaries and expenses of the head of the Division’s staff and facilities.

Mr Jack McConnell: (a) Individual salaries are not published in order to protect the privacy of the individual. The Head of External Relations Division post is in Senior Civil Service Pay Band 2 (£47,138 - £75,601).

  (b) The division has a staff of 18.

  (c) The total overall estimated running costs of External Relations Division are £593,000 per year.

Scottish Executive Staff

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of the External Relations Division and with which external bodies it relates.

Mr Jack McConnell: The External Relations Division within the Scottish Executive supports and provides advice and guidance to Ministers and Scottish Executive staff in their dealings with other administrations, including the UK Government, other devolved administrations, foreign and Commonwealth Governments, and with European and international institutions.

Smoking

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is undertaking any initiatives on smoking aimed at primary school-age children.

Susan Deacon: Advice provided by the Scottish Executive gives health education, including about tobacco and smoking, a secure place within the curriculum and seeks to ensure that it is provided in all schools.

Social Inclusion

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it is listening to the views and concerns of Scotland’s local communities.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive is looking at various ways of improving its consultation procedures to ensure everyone has the opportunity to influence policies. The Executive is also supporting the Civic Forum which facilitates inputs from local communities into national policy development.

  At the community level, the £10 million Working for Communities programme encourages new ways of involving local people in decisions on services. Part of the £3 million Listening to Communities programme funds People’s Panels and Juries in Social Inclusion Partnerships to further involve local participation in decision making.

Student Finance

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to fund fourth year tuition fees for students from other parts of the UK studying at Scottish universities.

Henry McLeish: As announced on 29 March, students from other parts of the UK who take a 4 year course at a Scottish institution, which is a year longer than the rest of the UK, will have their fees paid in the final year. This will apply to those entering courses from 2001 and we are discussing the funding of this with the other UK Departments. The actual cost for these first students will not fall until 2004-05 when they reach their fourth year.

Transport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many former employees of the Scottish Bus Group are awaiting payment from the Scottish Bus Group Pension Fund.

Sarah Boyack: I am not aware that any former employee entitled to a pension is not receiving it.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is made available to local authorities to provide concessionary travel cards for pensioners and whether any additional funds will be made available.

Sarah Boyack: Grant aided expenditure for councils’ discretionary concessionary travel schemes is included in the local government finance settlement; the figure for 2000-01 is £33.8 million. The GAE allowances for individual services are not spending targets or limits. They are a relative assessment of need to spend and contribute towards the calculation of councils’ total grant allocation. It is a matter for local authorities to determine their spending priorities and allocate resources accordingly.

Transport

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ensure that fines raised from parking offences committed within each local authority area are retained by that local authority to help finance and develop the local transport network.

Sarah Boyack: Under existing arrangements, parking infringements are criminal offences and the income generated from parking fines accrues to the Exchequer.

  However, the Road Traffic Act 1991 introduced provisions enabling the decriminalisation of most non-endorsable on-street parking offences in London and permitted similar arrangements to be introduced elsewhere. The relevant provisions of the 1991 Act were commenced for Scotland in June 1997.

  The purpose of decriminalising parking offences is to enable a local authority to administer its own parking penalty schemes and to retain the penalties collected to finance their parking enforcement procedures. In areas where parking offences are decriminalised, any surplus income must first be used to improve off-street parking and secondly, for general traffic management purposes within the area of the authority.

  Decriminalised parking enforcement was first introduced in Scotland in the City of Edinburgh on 5 October 1998. Glasgow City Council introduced a similar scheme on 4 October 1999.

  It is for other local authorities, as they see fit, to make application to Scottish Ministers for a designation order to introduce a similar decriminalised parking regime.

Transport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a legal obligation on local authorities to assess the impact on business of transport proposals and decisions.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive’s guidance on Local Transport Strategies encourages local authorities to consult fully with business interests; furthermore in bringing forward guidance under the terms of the Transport Bill the Executive will, where appropriate, require local authorities to consult with the business sector.

Water

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it will not introduce water and sewerage rebates for people on low incomes.

Sarah Boyack: The current arrangements linking water and sewerage charges to council tax bands already provide substantial assistance to many low income households.

  Water and sewerage charges are part of normal household costs, the Executive however is looking at ways of improving on the protection provided by the current charging arrangements.

Water Authorities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of total environment expenditure on capital grants and loans in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 was or will be spent in the area served by (i) the West of Scotland Water Authority; (ii) the East of Scotland Water Authority, and (iii) the North of Scotland Water Authority, specified in both monetary and percentage terms in each case.

Sarah Boyack: Virtually all environment capital grants and loans provision accrues to the water authorities in the form of external finance limits (EFLs). Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency receive £4.8 million in capital grants each year. Total environment expenditure includes provision also for current expenditure for SNH and SEPA and provision for Research and Sustainable Action. The provision for water authorities as a proportion of total environment expenditure is given in monetary and percentage terms in the following table:

  


Water Authority 

 

1999-2000 


2000-01 


2001-02 



 

£ million 




West of Scotland 


Provision 


95.4 


81.0 


82.0 



 

% of Env Total 


34% 


30% 


28% 




East of Scotland 


Provision 


80.5 


66.0 


66.0 



 

% of Env Total 


29% 


24% 


23% 




North of Scotland 


Provision 


46.0 


55.0 


70.0 



 

% of Env Total 


16% 


20% 


24% 




Funds for inward investment 

 
 

7.0 


5.4 




Total Water Authorities 


Provision 


221.9* 


209.0* 


223.4 



 

% of Env Total 


79% 


77% 


77% 




Total Environment Budget 

 

281.3 


270.1 


292.0 




  *At water authorities’ request, £15 million was brought forward in 1999-2000 from provision for 2000-01 to accommodate fluctuations in their capital expenditure programmes.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer by what date the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body expects to make available to the Parliament details of how the building, fit out and other costs of the Holyrood Project will be reduced in order to meet the agreed £195 million budget.

Sir David Steel: SPCB Report No 4 of 30 March 2000 to MSPs made clear that, based on the latest design proposals, the project can be delivered for £195 million. The Quantity Surveyor’s "Stage D" cost report for June 2000 is consistent with that figure. The Holyrood Progress Group would advise MSPs if there were any change to that position.

Parliamentary Staff

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what procedures are used to appoint clerks and support officers to service committees of the Parliament.

Sir David Steel: The procedures for the appointment of clerks and support officers to service the committees of the Parliament are the same as those in place for the appointment of other staff in the Parliament.

  The SPCB is an equal opportunities employer and all external recruitment to fill permanent vacancies is undertaken by fair and open competition. Where a vacancy arises, a decision will be taken, in consultation with the Personnel Office, whether to advertise the post externally or limit the field to existing staff. A job description, including the skills, knowledge and experience required, is drawn up and made available to applicants. A shortened version of this appears in an advertisement. Applications received are considered and the selection of those applicants worthy of an interview is determined by reference to the criteria previously agreed and published. Job interviews take place before a panel of three parliamentary staff. The panel is chaired by a member of staff from the Personnel Office and where the post is in the Clerking Directorate, the other two members are drawn from appropriately qualified staff in that Directorate. The interviews are structured and all applicants are assessed against the skills, knowledge and experience required to fulfil the job description. The applicant who achieves the highest score, providing this is on or above the pass mark, will be appointed to the post. For posts in the Clerking Dirctorate, which comprises the Committee Office and the Chamber Office, appointments are made to the Directorate as a whole, except where a post requires specialist skills and/or knowledge and experience. Staff are thereafter deployed as required to meet the business needs of the Directorate. In exceptional circumstances, however, the Clerk reserves the right to make appointments to particular posts from within the ranks of the parliamentary staff group.

Parliamentary Staff

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether committees or committee chairpersons will in future be consulted in advance of support staff appointments being made to their committees.

Sir David Steel: It is important that the Parliament’s management is able to exercise its judgment in allocating resources to support committees and the many other areas of parliamentary business, to help maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of that support. That judgment is exercised under the overall authority of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.